Jennie Reed

Jennie Reed (Seattle, Washington)

Women’s Team Pursuit

Jennie Reed began cycling on the track in Redmond, Washington, when she was 16. During high school, Reed won the 1995 national pursuit title and raced at the junior track world championships in 1995 and 1996. She raced with USA Cycling’s national development team throughout college, and competed in the match sprint at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Reed later raced the keirin as well, winning the 2008 world title in that discipline — the first American woman to do so.

Reed called off a pending retirement after the 2008 Olympics — where she placed seventh in the match sprint — with the encouragement of Sarah Hammer, who convinced Reed to join her for the team pursuit at this year’s Olympics. Reed successfully carried her sprinting speed back to the longer pursuit distance. Her efforts paid off with second place at the 2011 world championships with Hammer and Dotsie Bausch.

Reed, a 14-time national champion, goes into her third Olympic Games this summer, and will look to add to her tally of 24 worlds and Olympic medals won over 18 years of track cycling competition.